Thursday, December 19, 2013

A fit and proper response

The
year was 1977. For the first time in history of India as an
independent nation, a non-Congress party controlled
Government, headed by Mr. Morarji Desai was in power in Delhi. Loss
of power had unsettled the Congress party and
forced to be in opposition, they were availing every possible
opportunity to create ruckus and trouble for the ruling party
everywhere. On a fateful day in August, when Prime Minister Morarji
Desai was on an official visit to my home town Pune, the opposition
parties had decided to have a black flag demonstration against the
prime minister.

Just
five weeks prior to that fateful day, I had purchased a brand new
Fiat car. I had driven that car on that day to Chinchwad ( one of
Pune's suburbs), because I had an appointment in a factory situated
there. I had parked my car near the factory gate and was in a
meeting, when a mob of demonstrators hit the road in front of the
factory. Initially they were walking in a peaceful procession, but
as Police stopped them, in an instant, the participants became unruly
and hostile and the procession disintegrated in to a mob on rampage.
Someone told me about the ruckus outside and I came out of the
meeting and looked outside. By this time my car that was parked
outside, was over turned by the mob and someone had then started the
fire. It was the worst daytime nightmare of my life for me as I saw
my brand new car burning outside. Afterwords, police managed to
control the violence and fire brigade managed to douse the fire, that
had burnt down my brand new car.

I can
never forget that terrible incidence for my life time. It was a
demonstration of how mob violence escalates on the roads, in an
instant. The incident was no doubt tragic for me and eventually I got
over it, yet what pained me most was that in the aftermath, no action
was ever taken by the police against anyone, who were rioting for
damaging the car. The matter was just forgotten and I was left
fighting my own battle with the insurance company to see if I can get
any compensation against my losses. This is what happens in India
unfortunately.

With
this mental background, I was really astonished to see how fast and
quickly the Police have responded to an incidence of street violence
in Singapore in matter of days. The prompt action would no doubt be
appreciated by law abiding and discipline loving Singaporeans but I
feel that for Indians it is a lesson about how to do things?

On 8th
December2013, at about 9:23 PM local time, a private bus driven by a
Singaporean, hit and killed an unnamed 33-year-old Indian man.
Instantly a large crowd gathered at the accident spot. When rescue
workers were trying to reach the body, which was trapped under the
bus, angry bystanders smashed the windscreen of the bus, and the mob
turned on police officers arriving at the scene. Soon the scene
turned into a major outbreak of law and order as large groups of
South Asian workers gathered to attack the bus with sticks and
garbage bins. Angry bystanders smashed the windscreen of the bus, and
the mob turned on police officers arriving at the scene. A mob of
about 400 people took to the streets and went on a rioting spree
then, hurling street railings at police and torching police cars and
an ambulance. They damaged five police vehicles, one ambulance and
several private vehicles. After this, to quell the violence
authorities deployed about 300 police officers, wearing Kevlar
helmets and carrying riot shields, who cordoned off the area. An
elite contingent of Gurkha troops was also brought in. Authorities
managed to quell the violence only after 11 PM and arrested 27
people, who are all of south Asian origins. Official communique says
that no fire arms were used. Singapore's Civil Defense Force said
that at least 18 people were sent to hospital, including four of its
first responders. 10 Police officials also were hurt, but none of
them seriously. The bus driver involved in the fatal accident was
hospitalized.

Now
just after 10 days, Singapore police have wound up their probe,
completing their investigations. They say that they have taken
necessary action and no more arrests or repatriations would be
carried out. Singapore plans to deport 53 Indian citizens and issue
warnings to about 200 more for their involvement in the riot. It also
proposes to charge 28 foreign workers (all Indians again) for
rioting. These 28, could face up to 7 years in prison and caning.
Deported workers will be barred from returning to Singapore, once
they are sent back.

Singapore
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean issued a statement that says:
"They (foreign workers) come here to earn a living and support
their families in their home countries. In the process they
contribute to Singapore by supplementing our need for workers.”
Further the Government has confirmed that it would stick to its
present policy on foreign labour.

There
is no question that incidence of December 8th
had hurt the pride of this nation that is so proud of its safety and
orderliness record of last 40 years. But I have no doubt that the
firm way in which investigation was carried out by the police and the
decisions taken would act as a firm deterrent against lawlessness and
rioting. Singapore has clearly shown that safety and protection of
citizens and their properties is very much a state responsibility and
how culprits should be brought to the book.